MADISON, Wis. — A crucial year three of the Luke Fickell era begins Thursday night. Coming off a 5-7 season in which the program missed a bowl game for the first time since 2001, Wisconsin opens the 2025 slate against Miami (OH) under the lights at Camp Randall Stadium.
To say the Badgers need a fast start this season would be an understatement. In addition to washing out the bad taste of their mouths from the 2024 season, which ended with five consecutive losses, UW has just over two weeks before they travel to No. 8 Alabama for a major non-conference test.
In game one, the approach is generally, win, but don’t show too much. It’s safe to say, Wisconsin is not in that mindset.
“I don’t think we’re in a lot of places to hold things back,” Fickell said during his Monday press conference. “The truth of the matter is, we want to play in midseason form.”
GAME INFO
Time: 8 p.m.
Where: Camp Randall Stadium (Madison, Wis.)
TV: Big Ten Network
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
Line: Wisconsin – 17.5
Series History: Wisconsin Leads 1-0
Last Meeting: Wisconsin won 58-0 in 2015.
MORE: Check out the Badger Red Zone Podcast, Previewing the 2025 Season
NUMBERS TO KNOW
2: Miami (OH) and Wisconsin are meeting for the second time in program history. The Badgers took the first meeting 58-0 in 2015.
16: The Badgers are 16-0 in home night games against unranked opponents.
27: UW has won 27 consecutive non-conference home openers, a streak that dates back to 1995.
28: The Badgers have won 28 of their last 29 home openers.
36: UW is 36-2 all-time against MAC opponents.
What to Watch
Can Wisconsin Contain Miami’s Star Quarterback?
Miami (OH) quarterback Dequan Finn has the potential to give Wisconsin a lot of problems. The seventh-year senior has amassed 7,381 yards and 66 touchdown passes in his career. Finn has also added 1,906 rushing yards and 27 scores on the ground. A transfer from Baylor, most of Finn’s damage took place at Toledo, where he spent five seasons. Now back in the MAC, Finn may be poised to return to his former self.
“He can affect the game in multiple ways,” said senior cornerback Ricardo Hallman. “He’s a great improviser, a great thrower of the deep ball. He makes the defense stay a lot more disciplined.”
New Offense On Display
First-year offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes will break out his pro-style offense on Thursday. Wisconsin hopes to get back to the days of old with dominant play in the trenches.
“The number one core value of our program is being tough, nasty, and physical up front,” senior center Jake Renfro said. “That’s what we love to do, that’s what we train every day for. That’s what we do and who we are.”
Can the Badgers Create Negative Plays?
It’s been well documented that Wisconsin ranked last in FBS last season in tackles for loss and near the bottom in sacks per game (1.0). If they can’t make it happen on Thursday, it could be another long season. Miami (OH) lost five offensive linemen who combined for 166 career starts after the 2024 season.
“I think that our aggressive mindset is going to be significantly different,” defensive coordinator Mike Tressel said. “I think you’ll see that both in terms of how defense is called, but more so in terms of the way the guys are attacking. The belief, I think, is stronger than ever. I think that the size and depth that we’ve created up front will be significantly different and be a strength for us. We’ve got to not just be able to hold up. That’s not the mentality you can have.
“We have to be able to be on the attack.”
Prediction
Wisconsin has to be a little careful with this one. Riding a five-game losing streak, the mental state of the program might be fragile if things get off to a rocky start. Miami (OH) has also taken down a power-four conference opponent in two of the last three seasons, defeating Northwestern in 2022 and Cincinnati in 2023. The Redhawks have won 20 games over the last two seasons and reached a bowl game in five consecutive years (not including 2020, when they only played three games).
Then there’s a potential difference-maker at quarterback. You let a player like Finn escape the pocket and break down your defense, all bets are off. Two years ago, Finn nearly led an upset of Illinois on the road and was part of an 11-2 squad at Toledo. In 2022, Finn scored three touchdowns at Ohio State. How much magic is still left in the tank?
There are a lot of unknowns with this Wisconsin team. There are sweeping changes on both sides of the ball. What we do know and what the Badgers will hang their hat on this season is the run game. When Fickell’s teams rush for at least 100 yards, he’s unbeaten as UW’s head coach. Miami (OH) was adequate against the run last season, but not great. The Redhawks often play with four down linemen, but there’s not a lot of size. If all else fails, the Badgers should be able to grind this one out.
PREDICTION: Wisconsin 34 Miami (OH) 10